I'm trying to improve the WiFi signal in my study, which is located in a far corner of my home. My router is on the 3rd floor and I have an extender on the 2nd floor, but the signal drops to 1-2 bars in my study. Unfortunately, there's no Ethernet pre-wiring in that room, which makes working from home really slow. I've thought about the possibility of getting Ethernet wired in, but I'd like to explore other options first. I've heard suggestions like powerline adapters, mesh systems, or using a secondary router as an access point, but I'm not sure what would work best. I'd appreciate any advice or experiences that might help!
5 Answers
Powerline adapters are decent, though not the best. They work well if the electrical wiring is in good condition. You might want to look into brands like TP-Link or Devolo for good options. But remember, you'll need extra Ethernet cables.
If you're looking at wireless options, I recommend investing in a good mesh system. It spreads the WiFi coverage more evenly throughout your home. Just keep in mind that the satellites usually need line of sight, so you might want to think about placement carefully.
How do you set up the satellites? We have a staircase that might block the signal between floors.
For a mesh system, you'll need several units to cover all three floors in a 3300 square foot house. It might cost more upfront but can give you a smoother experience than using extenders alone. Just keep in mind line of sight issues!
Getting an Ethernet line to your study would be the best approach. If you have an Ethernet port running to the living room, you could set up a switch and an access point there, which might work better than relying on extenders or powerline adapters.
But I don’t have Ethernet on the first floor. The electrician quoted me $350 to wire it, plus I'd still have to buy a switch and an AP.
Powerline adapters have worked wonders for me. I use TP-Link AV2000 adapters that give me two gigabit ports wherever I need them. They cost around 150 CAD, and I added an access point to one of the adapters in a distant room. It's a solid solution without having to run cables all over the place!
I might give that a shot! And if it doesn't work, I guess I can just return them.
I have all new wiring and fiber internet, so I'm curious if you'll get decent speeds with powerline!